The bustling road work on Hillsborough Street didn’t stop the more than 75,000 people who attended the fifth annual Packapalooza on Saturday.
With a budget of $254,000, Packapalooza offered a variety of vendors, performances and activities for the NC State community.
“It was a little bit more than last year by about $8,000 but still in line with the previous budget,” said Justine Hollingshead, chief of staff of the Department of Academic and Student Affairs and co-chair of the Packapalooza planning committee.
The event began with a grandiose performance from the Power Sound of the South, NC State’s marching band.
“It’s always a blast to line up in front of a stage and kick off the whole thing by playing the Fight Song, Red and White and the Alma Mater,” said Tanner Compton, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering and a member of the Power Sound of the South.
We The Kings, an alternative rock band, headlined the show at Packapalooza, performing hits like “Check Yes Juliet” and “Say You Like Me.”
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Packapalooza, $25,000 was budgeted for the headlining performance.
The entire event was planned by a committee of 42 people, with representation from DASA, the Union Activities Board, Student Government and International Affairs.
Setup for Packapalooza began at 6 a.m. with the help of hundreds of people from facilities, grounds management, waste management and other departments at NC State. All of these people played a key role in ensuring Packapalooza remained a Platinum Sustainable Event, an award given by the City of Raleigh.
With nearly 80,000 attendees, DASA worked with the Raleigh Police Department and the NC State University Police Department to ensure the safety of students and guests.
“There weren’t more physical police officers there [than last year],” Hollingshead said. “We did have additional security near the stage and the headliner because we anticipated there would be more people [near the main stage].”
With 326 vendors featuring different student organizations, local businesses and departments within NC State, Packapalooza provided a great way for students to learn how to get involved on and off campus.
“There are so many different things to do at Packapalooza,” Compton said. “There is something for everybody there.”
The all-day street fair also brought customers to restaurants, coffee shops and other stores on Hillsborough Street.
H-Street Kitchen, a new restaurant on Hillsborough Street, featured an exclusive menu for Packapalooza. With items like Grilled Pork Bahn Mi and Pulled Pork & Collard Ramen, the eatery makes classics with a twist in hopes of provide an enjoyable classic diner experience for people of all backgrounds.
“We’ve had a lot of people interested in coming and trying our food as well as seeing what we’ve done to the building,” said host Scott Remika. “Our restaurant brings a lot of history back, back to the ‘40s of NC State.”
In addition to the variety of restaurants, students look forward to the food-stand specialties offered every year, from the pineapple smoothies to the fresh kettle corn.
“I got Burt’s Beer, and I haven’t had it since I visited my grandparents in Pennsylvania,” said Ryan Lynch, a freshman studying aerospace engineering.
Students and guests were immersed in the culture of NC State through traditional songs, academic department booths and meet-and-greets with Wolfpack athletes and Tuffy II, the new live mascot.
“I thought it was very interesting how the entire NC State community came together and how organizations got to be in one place at one time,” said Maggie He, a freshman majoring in international studies. “It was really cool for new students like me to see what Raleigh is like; what NC State is like.”
Returning students enjoy attending Packapalooza each year for chances to win shirts, bags and other prizes.
“I come here for the stickers,” said Victoria Amaral, a junior studying environmental science. “I’m trying to cover my dresser in stickers by the end of the year.”
Bradley Beard, a senior studying electrical engineering has gone to Packapalooza for the past four years.
“I like to see what’s going on at campus and what’s going to happen,” Beard said. “I also like attending the concert at the end of the day.”
After the last performance from the headliners We The Kings, the night was drawn to a close with the Belltower glowing red, matched with an elaborate fireworks display.
DASA hopes to bring more sustainability to the event in the years to come by promoting composting and further promoting digital platforms of advertising, according to Hollingshead.
We The Kings performs in front of a cheering crowd for Packapalooza on Hillsborough Street on Saturday. Packapalooza brought in a crowd of 75,000 and concluded with fireworks and the lighting of the Belltower red.
